The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-10
THE OLD KICKER.
Pcck's sun.

drummer had said he supposed he had the meanest landlord that ever lived, and cited instances in which his land lord had charged him with damages for q hole ill the mopboard of the kitchen, where a mouse had gnaWed so he could get through, and a few such things. The insurance man said his landlord was the meanest man on earth, with illustrations. The board of trade man offered to make affidavit that for pure, unadulterated cussed- ness his landlord could take the pre- mium at q worlds fair of mean Iand- lords, and the floor walker got the dressnaker who boarded at his house to back him up in the statement that there was no landlord in the country as mean aS his landlord. The old kicker kept still for a couple of min utes, until he got the drift of the con versatlon, and then he said
 "Speaking of landlords"
 "Who spoke of landlords?" said the drummer, as he waved a newspaper and drove d number of flies that were Ill his end of the car over toward the kicker.
 Nobody said word about land- lords,' said the board of trade man, who sat on the other side of the kicker, as he famed the flies back with d pa per, and caused them to settle in the kicker's whiskers.
 "Thcre has been lIo word said about landlords" said the insurance man, as he set the point of his dripping um- brclla into one of the old kicker's low shoes.
 "Landlords," said the floor walker, Ill astoniShmcnt. "Who spoke of landlords?" and he pulled down d package of dime museum advertise ments that hung up in the car, and let them drop in the old kicker's lap.
 You lie, every one of you, condum you,' said the old kicker, is lie brushed the flies away, spilled the museum dodgers out of his lap, and took off his shoe and emptied the dirty water from the umbrella out. "You were talking about landlords when came in, and l want to tell you of one rented of few years ago. He told me, in confidence, when l went to look at his house, that he was the best land- lord that ever rented house. He said he wanted to have his tenants just like one family, and he wanted them to not hesitate to ask for anything they wanted done around the house. He said he never expected to make any money on-his houses, but he wanted to feel that when he died, and went to heaven, he could look his ten ants ln the face and not have them feel that he was a robber. He said many people who had lived ill his houses. and afterwards gone elsewhere, were just dying to get back into one he owned, We were looking through one of bis houses, and he said if there was anything l wanted done to the house, to go right on and do it, as though it was my house. I thought nothing could be any faircr, and took lease at once. As we went out of the door, hc asked me ifI didn't think the front steps needed painting, and I said l thought little paint wouldn't hurt them, and he said he would at tend to it at once, and he went and got pot of brindle paint and was painting them before got around the corner. l thought he was the best landlord l had ever seen, and told my wife so. Well, got man to paper the rooms, and paint the woodwork inside, which was absolutely needed, and we moved in. In the course of three weeks the landlord said the front steps had got little worn in moving ill, and asked me if he hadn't better paint them again, and told him 1t would be good idea, and in fifteen minutes he was at work at them with his pot of brindle paint, and I thought what blessed man he was to be constantly suggesting improve ments, At the end of the month the bill came in for papering and painting, and when the landlord pre- sented his bill for the rent, I handed him the paper hangers bill in non- chalant manner, and he said he guessed that was all right, and could pay it.. asked him If 1 could pay it and off, set 1t against rent, and he laughed and said not an offset. He said I might gild the house inside, if wanted to, just as though it was my own, but l would have to pay for it. He wouldn't allow me a nickel, but he said he was the best landlord in the world, and he wanted his tenants to be happy, and confide in him, and ask for anything they wanted. He said he might not be able to grant their requests, but there was no harm in asking. Then he asked me if l didn't think the front steps needed painting, and told him l thought they did, so he got his pot of brindle paint aud painted the front steps, and put loose boards over them. Twas in his house two years, and I could never get the landlord to do a thing except shovel snow off the roof,